Whey Spirits

edited July 2018 in Recipes

Anyone else on here besides Ryno doing any experimenting with whey?

Any yeast recommendations? Asking for a friend.

StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

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  • This first link is most entertaining... click it:

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    Direct Links to the previous discussions and the actual yeast is Kluyveromyces marxianus:

  • Or you can use our super secret tag search, since I notoriously tag all discussions accordingly, by using the following link:

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  • StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • Anyone know where you can buy Kluyveromyces marxianus in the US?

  • Working a whey based spirit as we speak. Have teamed up with the University Wisconsin in the US to assist in being able to be able to use all available sugars. Currently I am fractionating the lactose sugar with an enzyme and using Red Star DADY yeast. Copper Crow Distillery, Bayfield WI

  • Oh, yea, I almost forgot ! It seems I have only been able to ferment just over half the available sugars. As a side note, the resulting spirit (neutral) is delicious!!!

  • Enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose yields fermentable glucose and non-so-easily-fermentable galactose.

  • edited July 2018

    Your approach is good if your whey is a free byproduct of manufacture and you have a fairly low cost of energy.

    Otherwise, folks have been looking at how to use Kluyveromyces marxianus or Candida Kefyr, which can ferment lactose directly (it has the necessary enzymes to break it, and ferment both sugar types). Thus, higher yield, potentially lower cost since external enzyme isn't necessary. Or, doesn't require attempts at concentration (evaporation/boiling).

  • Our whey, however, has a cost associated with it, including shipping. The dairy removes the proteins, concentrates the lactose and re-pasturizes. The re pasturization prevents the whey from fermenting (from lactic acid bacteria) prior to it reaching my destination. Our experiments with the University will soon include testing the kluyveromyces and its strains in order to increase production and retain the flovour profile we seek. We are also adding additional dry lactose sugar to increase production, however, at a significant increase in cost.

  • Right on, working with the University is a brilliant approach.

  • Trying to find it now, but there was a study that looked at mixed-culture fermentation of whey which looked promising.

    Kluy. Marx. is going to have a different flavor profile, but I wonder if you can stay close by using a mix of yeasts, you don't need to use single strains.

    Especially since you are using DADY, which from a yeast perspective, isn't all that interesting or distinctive.

  • Please let me know when you find the study re mixed culture ferments on whey. I would be interested in reading. Our current product (neutral?) finishes sweet and has great nose and taste. We are soon to submit to TTB for label approval. I should also note, I have had to add some yeast nutrient, and our ferment is quite slow.

  • I've been making whey based vodka and gin for 8 months. Its delicious and it will soon be in liquor stores. It does have a low yield, but its enough to make it worth it.

  • Our first test batch using Kluy. Marx. was unsuccessful. The University brought enuf Kluy to ferment 1000 Litres. After over 48 hours there was no signs of a active ferment. Brought the temp up to 75 F.We called the time of death and were able to salvage what remained with an enzyme and Red Star Yeast. Hope to look at a K.M. Yeast sample under microscope to see if there were and live yeasts when we pitched. Although a failure, it is science, and there is bound to setbacks. Any ideas what may have occured?

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